There has been an encouraging early wave of entries for the 46th edition of the Rolex Middle Sea Race, set to commence on Saturday, October 18, 2025.
Among the international fleet already signed up are a number of standout entries including the defending champion Red Bandit, Carl-Peter Forster’s predominantly youth-crewed TP52 from Germany. To date, yachts representing 10 nations have confirmed their participation in one of the world’s most iconic and scenic offshore races.
Countries already represented include Argentina, Australia, China, France, Germany, Monaco, Serbia, Spain, United Kingdom and United States. A broad geographic spread of participation is a hallmark of the Rolex Middle Sea Race, known for its 606-nautical-mile route starting and finishing in Malta and encompassing a near-complete circumnavigation of Sicily.
Entries of note and potency beyond Red Bandit include Daniel Figueirido’s Soto 53 Humildad Zero from Argentina, Frédéric Puzin’s Carkeek 54 Daguet 5 from France, Jens Kellinghusen’s Ker 56 Varuna, Gordon Ketelbey’s Botin-designed TP52 Zen from Australia and James Neville’s Botin 65 Artemis Bleu.
As always, entrants are mix of those who have done the race before, often several times, and those on their first foray. Another entry to watch out for is Final Final, a US-flagged PAC52 owned by Jon Desmond and crewed by a mix of top offshore talent and long-standing sailing companions. Final Final is an unfamiliar name in the Mediterranean. Scratch beneath the surface and the entry appears full of potential, with plenty of pedigree and a compelling campaign story.
For Final Final, the Rolex Middle Sea Race represents a milestone in an ambitious programme: “Although not a newcomer to offshore sailing, this will be Jon’s first Rolex Middle Sea Race,” said Russell Whitworth, crew boss and pitman on board.
“We specifically chose Final Final for its offshore credentials with the aim of ticking off all the great 600-mile offshore classics.”
And, in this regard, Final Final has buckets of form. Formerly known as Warrior Won, previous owner Chris Sheehan undertook a similar journey around the offshore world, winning the 2024 RORC Transatlantic and 2022 RORC Caribbean 600 en route, and proving a formidable competitor in the Rolex Fastnet, Sydney Hobart and Middle Sea Races. According to Whitworth, “It’s a boat that lets us push hard offshore but still enjoy some inshore racing — the best of both worlds.”
Desmond may be new to this particular classic offshore, but he and the team are clearly no strangers to major challenges, and achieving successes along the way. Winners of the 333nm Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac overall in 2023 in Desmond’s former steed, a Mills 41, the crew also has two participations in the Caribbean 600 to fall back upon.
This year, the Final Final crew finished third in IRC Zero, trailing only the newer Carkeek-designed Rán and Daguet 5 – another yacht expected to make a debut appearance in Malta. That result, against tough competition and in demanding conditions, has only served to reinforce the team’s commitment. “We had a great battle with our closest rivals,” said Whitworth. “It was a good result, especially given the wind direction didn’t really suit us.”
Between now and October, Final Final has a busy summer competing in the Admiral’s Cup, as the big boat in the RORC White team. The last race of that series is, of course, the Rolex Fastnet Race, which celebrates its centenary this year.
“Offshore racing is at the core of what we do,” Whitworth says. “The Rolex Middle Sea Race is one of my absolute favourites. The course is just so dynamic. You get the stunning scenery, the volcanic action, narrow straits, and the wind can go from zero to 30-plus knots in a flash.
It’s a real sailor’s race. You have the weather models which help, but so often you do not know what is coming. There are so many variables and influences affecting the situation. You need to keep your head out of the boat, concentrate on what is around you, especially the clouds.”
Whitworth, a seasoned rigging specialist with a wealth of superyacht and offshore experience, has done all the major 600 milers, including five Rolex Middle Sea Races. While Final Final is an impressive yacht, it marks a shift in size for Whitworth.
One of his first laps was Nikata, a Swan 82RS famed for serving the crew slow cooked lamb tagine despite heinous conditions. His most recent ride, in 2021, was onboard the 42.6m/140-ft Skorpios, which he recalls as a highlight moment. “Doing 25 knots downwind in a circle? That’s just the most exciting of offshore experiences!”
The Final Final crew reflects a blend of top-tier professionals and long-time sailing friends. Among the pros onboard are Cameron Appleton, Jim Turner, Nick Bice, and Don Davis, supported by a close-knit group that includes some sailors who started their careers with Desmond and have stayed with him over the years. “Continuity and long relationships are a core part of the programme,” said Whitworth.
“There’s a real sense of family.” Something the Royal Malta Yacht Club also exudes, especially when it comes to its pinnacle event.
Among Final Final’s direct competition will be another Admiral’s Cup entry, Gordon Kettelbey’s TP52 Zen, racing for the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia. Also an experienced offshore sailor, Kettelbey has 17 Rolex Sydney Hobarts under his belt, along with three 565nm Rolex China Sea Races and a RORC Caribbean 600. This will be his first Rolex Middle Sea Race.
Start of the Rolex Middle Sea Race, 2024
“The Rolex Middle Sea Race has always been on my bucket list. When we decided to send Zen out for the Admiral’s Cup, we thought we would do a season in Europe. The Rolex Middle Sea Race was high on my agenda,” explains Kettelbey. “It will be good to have my own well-prepared boat to compete in what can be one of the most challenging long races on the sailing calendar. I hear it also offers breathtaking scenery.”
Kettelbey started offshore sailing in his mid-20s, competing in his first Rolex Sydney Hobart back in 1980. In the 1990s he was competing in his own racing boats in events along the east coast of Australia. He then moved into one design racing, and has owned three boats all called Zen: “The first was a Sydney 38, and we campaigned her in seven Hobarts and lots of coastal races.
Zen 38 was followed up the Zen Farr 40, which was a super competitive one design class with an international fleet. We sailed in many overseas regattas, including the world championship in places such as Chicago, and Porto Cervo.”
After a number of years, Kettelbey was looking for a new challenge and, in particular, a yacht that would compete well offshore.
“That search led us to the TP52, originally built as Synergy and was known at the time as Sorcha,” he says. “The Zen 52 is a wild, stripped shell of a boat, very light, very high tech and very fast. Sailing the TP52 is an adrenaline booster, especially when it gets a bit windy. At times it can be quite chaotic, but they are great fun to sail and actually easier than I anticipated. The TP52 loves lots of power and once they get on the plane out of the water, they are the happiest.”
Zen is on its way to Europe and scheduled to arrive towards the end of June. Kettelbey is looking forward to the summer ahead, which includes the Rolex Fastnet as part of the programme, and another box to tick. In terms of crew, he has been sailing with his core team of mainly amateurs for between 10 and 20 years, so has plenty of experience onboard.
Also from Australia is Grace of Sydney entered by Malcolm Roe. Again, this will be a first-time appearance at the Rolex Middle Sea Race. Grace is a Swan 48, so offering a markedly more comfortable ride than Final Final or Zen, albeit at a slower pace.
The beauty of races like the Rolex Middle Sea Race is the ability to mix together diverse yacht designs and types, and get the majority to compete together for the main prize under IRC Time Correction.
“The Rolex Middle Sea Race is one of the classic 600nm races and on the bucket list of many offshore sailors,” says Roe. “I have completed a number of Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Races, together with several of my crew, and so when the opportunity to enter this race arose, I had no difficulty finding competent crew members to join me!”
Roe finds offshore racing quite compelling, even if putting his finger on the main reason is not straightforward: “Soon after finishing the 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart in our Swan 45 Amazingrace, I said ‘never again!’. Who knows why we do it again and again… That said, I do love the thrill and pleasure of being at sea, the camaraderie of the crew, and the challenge of competition, and the navigational aspects of the Rolex Middle Sea Race look particularly challenging.”
“Grace’s crew is made up entirely of friends that have sailed with me over the years in Australia,” adds Roe. “We’re an amateur crew and notably almost 50% are women. When I sent out an initial call for expressions of interest to my existing crew roster I was immediately oversubscribed!”
Among those signed on, Roe is counting upon Katy MacDonald, a ticketed superyacht skipper working up a Figaro campaign this summer; Paul Piendl, who sailed his 36 footer largely single-handed via the Atlantic and Pacific to Australia and before returning to Europe via the Suez Canal; Marike Koppenol, who raced around the world in 1999/2000, and Italian sailor, Elisabetta Cavana.
As the Rolex Middle Sea Race continues to attract a world-class fleet, the stories of passion, preparation and spirit that have always defined this legendary offshore challenge will continue to be shared.
For those interesting in joining the adventure, the Notice of Race and the online entry system are accessible through the official Rolex Middle Sea Race website.
Competitors are encouraged to submit their applications promptly to secure their place and preferred berthing. The RMYC looks forward to welcoming the fleet to Malta in October 2025, continuing the proud tradition of this extraordinary race.
